Living Help
Jun 21st, 2021, 03:17 PM
#1
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Living Help
My wife & I are going to snowbird St Augustine Florida this winter I need Ur help is there a better approach to living down there 3-4 months?
All will be rentals but what is a better rental a Condo - Apartment - House - villa - townhouse - etc etc need Ur best adviseSincere Thanks
All will be rentals but what is a better rental a Condo - Apartment - House - villa - townhouse - etc etc need Ur best adviseSincere Thanks
Jun 21st, 2021, 03:42 PM
#3
https://www.realtor.com/apartments/Villano-Beach_FL Check out some of these rentals and also some from St Augustine and Ponte Vedra beach.
Jun 21st, 2021, 07:36 PM
#4
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Snowbird rentals
Again for St. Augustine FL snowbird rental which is better & why Condo - Apartment - townhouse - hotel or whatever? I'm doing this off the top of my head because you guys asked I would $2-3000+ a monthThanks Muchly
Jun 22nd, 2021, 02:52 AM
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What matters more is the features of a property you want to rent, and that will take some work on your part to look into. Info like size, # bedrooms, location, noise, laundry facilities, internet access, pool, etc. all may or may not matter to you.
Start looking somewhere like VRBO, put in your price range $2-3000/month and dates and see what is available then go from there. $2-3000/month (~$70-100/night) likely wont get you much at all during winter season so think more about your real price range as you look through what's available.
The difference between the labels condo, apartment, or townhouse are irrelevant. A condo can be a townhouse, or whatever.....If I had a property to rent out I could call my "shanty by the alligator infested swamp" a "waterside villa with master bathroom with a view to die for" and it would still be a "shanty that has an outhouse without a door."
Don't just look at pictures, but be sure to also to read reviews posted by other travelers. I tend to ignore single reviews that seem way out there, either too good or too poor, as well as reviews that don't give specific examples.
Start looking somewhere like VRBO, put in your price range $2-3000/month and dates and see what is available then go from there. $2-3000/month (~$70-100/night) likely wont get you much at all during winter season so think more about your real price range as you look through what's available.
The difference between the labels condo, apartment, or townhouse are irrelevant. A condo can be a townhouse, or whatever.....If I had a property to rent out I could call my "shanty by the alligator infested swamp" a "waterside villa with master bathroom with a view to die for" and it would still be a "shanty that has an outhouse without a door."
Don't just look at pictures, but be sure to also to read reviews posted by other travelers. I tend to ignore single reviews that seem way out there, either too good or too poor, as well as reviews that don't give specific examples.
Last edited by J62; Jun 22nd, 2021 at 02:58 AM.
Jun 22nd, 2021, 04:21 AM
#6
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Condo vs Apartment vs House etc etc Rentals
Thanks J62 for Ur candure & honesty I will physically look & refine my criteria since it's just the wife & me on our requirements. I'm getting it now, the rental vehicle isn't that important they are mute it's all about personal needs & requirements to live comfortably & enjoy ourselvesThanks
Jun 22nd, 2021, 04:29 AM
#7
I gave you an agency and wide variety of prices. I would stay close to beach in an apartment condo without any upkeep. Vilano is a bridge over from busy Historic St Augustine with a water taxi. St Augustine beach is not as laid back. Ponte Vedra is more upscale. Lots of golf. The beaches allow dogs if you have any. I would go with small as long as it had a nice balcony/terrace. Best part of Fl is winter when you aren't sweaty and sticky.
Jun 22nd, 2021, 09:52 PM
#8
I would not want to live in a hotel for 3-4 months. Pretty sure I could not afford a villa.
Don't try to narrow it down. You just need to get out there and look. Maybe do stay in a hotel for 1 month the first winter to look around for a more permanent solution. As you get looking you'll probably think of things to help decide... is there a pool, can you find a one floor unit, do you mind stairs in a townhouse, are you willing to do yard work, how many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want, all kinds of things that could sway a decision.
Don't try to narrow it down. You just need to get out there and look. Maybe do stay in a hotel for 1 month the first winter to look around for a more permanent solution. As you get looking you'll probably think of things to help decide... is there a pool, can you find a one floor unit, do you mind stairs in a townhouse, are you willing to do yard work, how many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want, all kinds of things that could sway a decision.
Jun 23rd, 2021, 04:21 AM
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Snowbird Advise
Thank You very much, I'm trying to glean knowledge from Friends on this chat forum that have been through this so as to maximize the final outcome & that might be a permanent location. It'll be a rental not a purchase & it will hopefully on or very close to the beach. Since it is just my wife & myself we don't need anything the size of a home something that is downsized to seniors & free of maintenance, taxes, etc etc (been shoveling the dreaded 4 letter word SNOW) + house - property etcThanks for the input
Jun 23rd, 2021, 10:08 AM
#10
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Short term (i.e. typical "snowbird rentals") and the majority of longer term rentals will have the cost of maintenance, taxes and most of your "etc, etc. (whatever that may mean to you) included in the rent. Depending on the rental unit and the terms of your lease you may have to pay some or all of the utilities but other than that if you experience a problem you just call the Property Manager and they will handle any repairs.
For your budget of $2,000 to $3,000 a month anything that is "beach front or very close to the beach" is, by definition, going to be small and probably an older property, that is, of course, if you can actually find something small. Nowadays, beach front property in Florida commands a premium and many of the smaller homes that were constructed 25 or more years ago are being torn down and replace by multi-million dollar mega-mansions that rent for tens of thousands of dollars per week, let along per month. You might be lucky enough to find a small older condo apartment that will be in your price range but it may take a lot of research.
As everyone has been suggesting, you have to do some first hand research using sites like Zillow, Realtor.com,VRBO and other rental websites to see what's available in your price range and in the area that interests you. Do some internet searches using such topics as "Beach Front Rentals in NAME OF TOWN", "NAME OF TOWN Vacation Rentals" and you'll find scores of links with helpful information. Those internet searches will also list Real Estate Agents that specialize in "Snowbird Rentals" - they can help steer you in the right direction.
One last caveat, many "snowbird rentals" are rented to the same couples/families every year and they often are reserved up to a year in advance or the renters are given a Right of First Refusal which can be exercised if someone else expresses an interest in renting the property.
What all this means is you should try to remain flexible in your requirements rather than get too set in what you expect to find. Remember the old adage - when it comes to Real Estate the market value is going to be driven by three things - Location, Location and Location. Be prepared to make compromises.
For your budget of $2,000 to $3,000 a month anything that is "beach front or very close to the beach" is, by definition, going to be small and probably an older property, that is, of course, if you can actually find something small. Nowadays, beach front property in Florida commands a premium and many of the smaller homes that were constructed 25 or more years ago are being torn down and replace by multi-million dollar mega-mansions that rent for tens of thousands of dollars per week, let along per month. You might be lucky enough to find a small older condo apartment that will be in your price range but it may take a lot of research.
As everyone has been suggesting, you have to do some first hand research using sites like Zillow, Realtor.com,VRBO and other rental websites to see what's available in your price range and in the area that interests you. Do some internet searches using such topics as "Beach Front Rentals in NAME OF TOWN", "NAME OF TOWN Vacation Rentals" and you'll find scores of links with helpful information. Those internet searches will also list Real Estate Agents that specialize in "Snowbird Rentals" - they can help steer you in the right direction.
One last caveat, many "snowbird rentals" are rented to the same couples/families every year and they often are reserved up to a year in advance or the renters are given a Right of First Refusal which can be exercised if someone else expresses an interest in renting the property.
What all this means is you should try to remain flexible in your requirements rather than get too set in what you expect to find. Remember the old adage - when it comes to Real Estate the market value is going to be driven by three things - Location, Location and Location. Be prepared to make compromises.
Jun 23rd, 2021, 05:41 PM
#11
You just need to go and check things out. My experience is not in Florida (rather Puerto Vallarta Mexico is my personal retirement dream). But I have been there 30+ times. Stayed in various hotels, rented condos in a dozen different situations, gotten to know things.
No one can guide you on the internet more than to say... do your research and find a place for the first time for a month or so, and give it a try. You might not know until you try different neighborhoods and situations. Do you really want to be on the golf course? Would you like to be closer walking to a restaurant and coffee shop? Whatever
No one can guide you on the internet more than to say... do your research and find a place for the first time for a month or so, and give it a try. You might not know until you try different neighborhoods and situations. Do you really want to be on the golf course? Would you like to be closer walking to a restaurant and coffee shop? Whatever
Jun 23rd, 2021, 05:49 PM
#12
Why for a snowbird rental would you need to go and check things out, and stay for a month it isn't a purchase. I would not expect to stay in a hotel for several months, but maybe a timeshare or condo/townhouse/apartment (they are pretty much the same).
I would use VRBO or a rental agency or even AirBNB to do your research, You can even talk to the owners before you decide. And yes look at the reviews.
I would use VRBO or a rental agency or even AirBNB to do your research, You can even talk to the owners before you decide. And yes look at the reviews.
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